Alcan subjetc of takeover bid by American rival Alcoa

The Canadian-owned multinational, Alcan with UK sites in Lynmouth, Lochaber, Cramlington, Salterbeck and Bristol employing over 1,600 people, are the subject of a takeover bid by their American business rivals, Alcoa.

The Alcan Group employs 30,000 people in 17 European countries and in its 4 sectors (Bauxite Alumina, Primary Aluminium, Engineered Products, Packaging).

The Alcan European Works Council is made up of 34 representative from 11 countries having a significant number of employees (France, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Iceland, Poland, Ireland, Austria).

The European Works Council met just outside Paris on 29 and 30 May 2007 and the employee representatives issued the following statement:

Statement by Alcan EWC employee representatives on Alcoa's takeover bid for Alcan

Employee representatives in the Alcan European Works Council, meeting in ordinary session on 29 and 30 May 2007, wish to state their opposition to the takeover bid for Alcan initiated by Alcoa.

    * On behalf of Alcan employees, they emphasise their determination to work to develop the Group and the jobs of its employees in a stable framework, rather than in a context of constant reorganisation, restructuring, integration and disintegration.
    * They condemn the speculative destruction of industrial and human capital that would result from this predatory move, which is driven solely by the short-term interest of shareholders.
    * They reject the social consequences inherent in this operation and resolutely oppose the job cuts, divestments, restructuring operations and site closures that the synergies generated by this takeover would inevitably entail.
    * They cannot accept this further pillaging of the skills, technologies and know-how built up by several generations of European employees, which would result in the definitive re-location of the Alcan Group's decision-making and competency centres outside Europe.
    * They cannot resign themselves to the establishment of a European industry dependent on purely financial and stateless interests. They call on the national and transnational authorities to adopt legislation to ensure an effective industrial policy for the European continent.

They reiterate their determination to work in close cooperation with Alcan employees throughout the world toward effective consolidation of Alcan's activities and sites, based on reinvestment of the Group's exceptional profits in plant and equipment, as well as toward consolidation of employment and working conditions.

Regards
Peter Ellis, National Officer

Unite the Union - Amicus Section (GPM Sector)
33-37 Moreland Street, London EC1V 8HA